Friday, Feb. 16 (D-3)

We shoved off today, had GQ at night. Only 3 more days and we’ll be slugging it out with the Japs. Hope they have them all killed off the island long before we get there. We may have trouble with aircraft as the island is only 600 miles from Tokyo itself. Saw a map today of our route up to Iwo Jima, 660 miles distance and it showed a Task Force hitting at Tokyo itself at the same or about the same time as we hit the island. Also heard, and it seems to be true, that we go to Espirito Santos, New Hebrides, after this to dislodge the casualties and pick up the Army, but then where to we can’t tell. One of the fellows I had in my class up at Farragut is on an ARS 33 and anchored a little ways from us. He called by blinker light today and said hello. They too will be with us. Am anxious to get this over with, don’t feel a bit scared yet. Things will probably be different in two days from now.

Saturday, Feb. 17 (D-2)

At sea. Troops getting ready for D Day, they are having church services about twice a day, both for Protestants and Catholics. We have had a couple of sub contacts by our screening vessels, but nothing more. A task group near us reported enemy aircraft, we went to general quarters but soon got the flash white.

Sunday, Feb. 18 (D-1)

One day out. Went to church this morning and took communion. Troops about all set for tomorrow. About 3:00 P.M. this afternoon was on radio watch and the commodore thought he saw a sub conning tower in the water, I reported it by radio, but then they saw it was a small boat dispatched from another ship. We arrive in the transport area off the island tomorrow morning at 0615 - H hour is at 0900. Reveille at 0330 in the morning, then we go to 1A at 0600 and will probably remain there for the next 3 or 4 days. Is getting stormy tonight, a high wind and the water is beginning to kick up. No sign of an air raid yet.

Monday, Feb. 19 (D Day)

Arrived off Iwo Jima around 0615. The battleships and cruisers were throwing shells into the island, up within a mile of it. The island has a very large volcano at the southern end, the rest of it is low, with a plateau in the center. We put off our troops and they went ashore, we moved into within about a mile of the beach. No enemy planes over, but lots of gun fire on the beach. The first waves got on the beach, but with heavy casualties. The beach is very soft and practically next to impossible to land tanks and gear. Something they didn't plan on. Weather is fine, sunny and the water calm. Around 2:00 P.M. they started to bring back casualties. They were shot up pretty bad. One fellow died after getting back on the ship and was buried at sea. The troops ashore are moving very slowly, the Japs seem to be able to put their motor fire very accurately. They can't seem to get near the volcano, too many up in the rocks. We cruised at sea all night returning in the morning. Had a flash red, but no planes.

Tuesday, Feb. 20 (D+1)

Arrived back in the transport area again around 0600, dropped our boats and waited. They fired a couple of shots from the beach at the transports, so we moved further back. Yesterday two shots landed right off our bow. The planes are continually hitting the island, all carrier based, firing rockets. The Japs are putting up a big show, we have lost a great deal more men than expected. Still unable to land cargo on our beach, Green 1, the motor and snipers are too numerous. It is rather rainy today, but not too bad a sea. We received lots more casualties aboard. The U.S.S. Smaritan, hospital ship arrived today and the worst cases will be transferred to her. Got another air raid scare around 4:00 P.M., but nothing turned up. Left the area around 5:00 and proceeded to sea for the night. Will return again in the morning for the day.

Wednesday, Feb. 21 (D+2)

Condition still about the same. The troops have made advances but the going is very tough. Bad weather is hampering them too. Low hanging clouds and rain, with fairly large swells in the sea. We retired to sea at night, had an air raid alert. They came in from all directions, in small groups. We could see the ships putting up anti aircaraft fire around the island. We heard over the radio that they got a Betty and a Zeke. The Japs name their bombers after women and fighters for men. They got two of our planes. It lasted for about 2 hours.

Thursday, Feb . 22 (D+3)

They now have about 2/3 of the island . The volcano at the southern end is giving the troops a lot of trouble as the enemy can put motor fire out from it to hamper the landing of supplies on the beach. The aircraft and naval guns gave it a big bombing all day long. It doesn't seem possible that there can be anyone alive on it. We now have 108 men in the sick bay, the serious ones have been removed. We have had one man die on ship, the rest seem to be coming along ok. Casualties are not as high now as they were the first two days and we haven't received anymore casualties. Still very stormy weather. As we left the area on our night retirement we had a Jap air raid. It didn't amount to much, we shot down one of our own planes, nothing reported on the enemy. Looks like we may be here another week.

Friday, Feb. 23 (D+4)

Arrived back in the transport area around 0630, and went in fairly close to the beach. We still have about 200 troops on board and most of our cargo, but can't get any boats to take it off. The weather is still stormy. They have the beaches secured enough to land supplies, but small boats can't make it as the surf is too heavy. They took the volcano and we can see the stars and stripes flying at the top. That will lessen the firing on the beaches themselves. Still not making much advance on the other side of the island. We retired to sea at night, had an air raid around 10:00 P.M., but we didn't fire as all the planes were back in the transport area.

Saturday, Feb. 24 (D+5)

Went right in as close as possible to the beach and unloaded most of our cargo into an LST. Could see the beach very plainly, but can see no one laying around the island. Note: While anchored we suddenly noticed motor shells coming closer and closer to our ship from the volcano, so we weighted anchor and left in a hurry. The volcano at the southern end is covered with caves, pill boxes and the like. The airport has all the planes that the Japs did have blasted to pieces. You can see the Rising Sun on them. We also got rid of most of our troops, and leave tomorrow after we discharge about 14 jeeps we have left on board. Then presumably to Siapan where we'll wait for part of our crew that is on the beach, also to get new boats. We have lost six of our landing craft. Then we'll probably get Army and bring them back up so the Marines can be released for another strike, probably still north of here in the Ronin Islands.

Sunday, Feb. 25 (D+6)

Came back to Iwo Jima and unloaded the jeeps we had on board, also received some casualties, but nothing too bad. The fighting is still going on the island, Liberator bombers flew over in formation today and gave it a good pasting. We pulled out around 6:00 P.M. for Siapan, there are about 10 ships and we have 4 destroyers for a screen. We should get to Siapan Wednesday morning or noon. And that means mail. Am glad to get out of the actual war, for it meant very little sleep, perhaps only 4 hours a night. That was the most.

Monday, Feb. 26

At sea. Tuesday, Feb. 27 Around 1000 we got a report by radio from one of the destroyers escorting us that she had picked up a sub contact. So they went out to investigate. Around 1300 another destroyer reported one about 3 miles from us. About 5 minutes later it got within a mile of us, and they blew GQ. When we came topside we could see the can (a term for a Destroyer), dropping depth charges right off our port beam and the explosions jarred the ship. No word ever came through as to whether or not they got it, but the other can that went out earlier in the morning reported back that she had dropped her depth charges and Jap debris came to the surface with Jap markings on it, so she was credited with one Jap sub. That was as close as they have gotten to us with we knowing it.

Wednesday, Feb. 28

Arrived off Siapan around 0600 and anchored. Then around 1500 we went into the dock. The water is very shallow so they have to use floating docks. Got rid of all our casualties. From what the corpsmen say, these fellows are headed back to the states. We didn’t get off the ship, but a lot of the officers did and they got pretty well stewed up.